# MacBaren Vanilla Cream- Loose Cut



## Jeff10236 (Nov 21, 2010)

A couple months ago I did a review of MB Vanilla Flake. It is now among my favorite aromatics. Well, my stock is just about out so last week I stopped at a local B&M and they didn't have any, but they did have the Vanilla Cream- Loose Cut. Knowing they are the same blend and being just about out on the one hand, and knowing that with the different preparation a lot of people get something different from each and being curious about the differences, I decided to pick it up. I don't remember which pipe I used for my first smoke of this last week, but I am currently smoking it out of my MM Legend (note: I don't usually smoke aros out of my cobs, and I'm not sure why because they really seem to work well together).

*In the Tin:* Much like the flake, it has a nice sweet vanilla smell to it, but I also detect something fruity, maybe almost lemony, or a sweetened lemon-lime. While the flake was a dark brown with some lighter specks, and this is the same dark and light brown, the light brown tobacco seems more prevalent and lighter colored in the loose cut. 
*
Smoking characteristics:* While this is definitely a wet tobacco, it lights very easily and tends to stay lit pretty well. I can be a little overly exuberant when smoking my pipes, and it seems to be pretty resistant to tongue bite. It produces nice volumes of creamy, blue-white smoke. It tastes and smells of nice rich vanilla and burns down to a nice white ash.

*Smell:* I'm smoking in my bedroom and while it definitely smells of tobacco, it has a nice vanilla smell to it as well. The fruit in the tin does not make an appearance when smoking.

*Comparison to MB Vanilla Flake: *These are the same tobacco with different presentations so, not surprisingly, they are very similar. However, there are differences. With the flake, the Cavendish is pretty noticeable to me with its characteristic creamy nutty flavor. The Loose Cut is very creamy, but I don't get any nut flavors or smells. I also don't seem to get as much of the natural Virginia sweetness in this as I do with the flake, the sweetness seems more from the vanilla here. On the topic of vanilla, the vanilla in the flake is a bit more subtle, here it is front and center, definitely stronger.

*Overall verdict: *I _love_ vanilla, vanilla cream pastries, vanilla ice cream, I sometimes put vanilla in my chili, etc. so no shock, I love MB Vanilla Flake and Vanilla Cream Loose Cut. Strangely, these were my first vanilla aromatics (though I had already had, and love, SG Perfection which is an English with added vanilla). I am definitely motivated by these two to try more vanilla aros.

I couldn't really tell you if I like the Flake or Loose Cut better. They are, obviously, very similar, but they are subtly different. I just bought this 3.5oz tin of the Loose Cut, and I can tell you I will buy more in the future, but I also just put in an order for 16oz of the Flake. That will probably be my usual proportion in fact, I'll probably regularly keep on hand a tin of the Loose Cut, but a pound of the Flake. Of course, that is partially economics however, and if the Loose Cut was available bulk and the Flake only in tins the proportions might very well be reversed.


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## brotherwilliam3 (May 17, 2010)

Good review Jeff! RJ Puff included Vanilla Cream in my noobie sampler, an its next on my list to try. I don't see the Aromatics getting much love on here, but what aromatics would you recommend? Thanks


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## User Name (Feb 11, 2011)

Plus a pound of the flake is pretty cheap!


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## Zogg (Aug 31, 2010)

i love vanilla flake when my girlfriend wants to sit on the deck and hang out with me (she cant stand cigar smell)

it's quite tasty as well 

i like how its more of an "actual vanilla" flavor rather than "vanilla candy" flavor


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## BrewShooter (Mar 17, 2011)

Hmm, may have to try the ribbon/mixture. I have tried the flake. Actually, the first time I tried the flake, I didn't like it. I didn't pick up any vanilla at all and just didn't care for the taste. A few weeks later, I tried it again and absolutely LOVED it.


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## Jeff10236 (Nov 21, 2010)

brotherwilliam3 said:


> Good review Jeff! RJ Puff included Vanilla Cream in my noobie sampler, an its next on my list to try. I don't see the Aromatics getting much love on here, but what aromatics would you recommend? Thanks


I actually haven't tried that many aros, even though I count myself as a fan. I've smoked a pipe for almost 20 years, during most of the past decade I had settled on just a couple tobaccos that I always smoked. My main go-to tobacco was a bulk Amaretto at a local B&M which tasted decent, smelled great, and bit like an angry pit bull. My other was just a generic "English". Before that, I blended my own for a few years and usually smoked my favorite "English" and aromatic blend, and prior to that I smoked whatever B&M bulk seemed interesting at the time (I almost never bought tins or national/international name brand bulks). This past year when I've really decided to branch out, I have tried more non-aros than aros.

That said, my favorites so far are Solani Sweet Mystery X, MB Vanilla Flake, MB Vanilla Cream Loose Cut, Peterson De Luxe Mixture (be careful, it can bite), and McClelland Town Topic. I also have really enjoyed some that are kind of hybrid tobaccos- some of the chocolate flakes which are kind of a chocolate aro and English, and SG Perfection which is an English with vanilla. There are several on my radar to try next, but just about anything from Boswell seems to be pretty highly respected (especially Christmas Cookie).


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## brotherwilliam3 (May 17, 2010)

Jeff10236 said:


> That said, my favorites so far are Solani Sweet Mystery X, MB Vanilla Flake, MB Vanilla Cream Loose Cut, Peterson De Luxe Mixture (be careful, it can bite), and McClelland Town Topic. I also have really enjoyed some that are kind of hybrid tobaccos- some of the chocolate flakes which are kind of a chocolate aro and English, and SG Perfection which is an English with vanilla. There are several on my radar to try next, but just about anything from Boswell seems to be pretty highly respected (especially Christmas Cookie).


Thanks for this. This will give me a nice little reference base on some different aros to try ipe:


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## laloin (Jun 29, 2010)

Nice review Jeff,
I was given Vanilla cream loose cut in my newbie sample pack, and I let it sit for too long before trying it.
To me there is a vanilla taste, but somewhat metallic taste, that and the cavendish sure taste like burley, then Virginia based to me.
I have a tin of the vanilla flake I should crack it open and try hehe
Troy


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## HWiebe (Jul 13, 2010)

I'll make sure to add this to my list of tobaccos to try first! Thanks for the review.


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## Jeff10236 (Nov 21, 2010)

Not to pull my thread too far off track, but I just noticed...

A few people have some pretty incomplete "about me" sections, especially the most important entry. :noidea:

Come on folks, get with the program :mischief:


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## Nick S. (Jul 10, 2011)

I picked up a tin of this about a month ago and never opened it... I guess it just got pushed behind all the virginias I have been smoking... maybe it is time I open it and try it out...


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